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Thought this may be of interest to some.
Excerpt from “History of Captain B.F. Benton’s Company, Hood’s Texas Brigade, 1861-1865” by O.T. Hanks. Hanks was a member of First Texas, Co. K. The memoir was published by Morrison Books in Austin, Tx. The following is found on pages 2-3.
"Their arms consisted of almost every conceivable kind of gun that could be collected in the country. There were double barreled shot guns of various makes and calibers, squirrel rifles of various descriptions and sizes, some Colt’s repeating rifles, Mississippi rifles, old army muskets, in fact I do no(t) know what kinds. Pistols, likewise.
Our bayonets were butcher knives made by our blacksmiths out of old files. Some were about twelve inches long, one and one-half inches wide. Others were 16 or 18 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Every fellow ground and polished his own knife; some nice jobs, others not; all owing to the tate of the person. Nevertheless they answered the purpose.
The scabbards were made of good leather, were sewed and riveted with lead rivets. They were arranged to carry them on the cartridge belt. Our bayonets were fitted to the muzzles of the guns by Uncle Ranse Horn, who was an ingenious workman. He fitted a piece of sheet iron on the muzzle of every gun, leaving a square spring suitable to the size of the knife handle, which he put on the knife blade also. The handle had a spring on it with a notch on it. The handle of the knife was inserted in the opening on the muzzle and pushed in place; the spring would hop up and hold it in place.
Our cartridge boxes were made of leather by our home saddlers and harness workmen, Mess. J.C. Childers and C.C Johnson. Our uniforms were made of good gray woolen goods cut and fitted by Mr. W.A. McClenahan and his helpers. They were trimmed with blue collars and cuffs."
Excerpt from “History of Captain B.F. Benton’s Company, Hood’s Texas Brigade, 1861-1865” by O.T. Hanks. Hanks was a member of First Texas, Co. K. The memoir was published by Morrison Books in Austin, Tx. The following is found on pages 2-3.
"Their arms consisted of almost every conceivable kind of gun that could be collected in the country. There were double barreled shot guns of various makes and calibers, squirrel rifles of various descriptions and sizes, some Colt’s repeating rifles, Mississippi rifles, old army muskets, in fact I do no(t) know what kinds. Pistols, likewise.
Our bayonets were butcher knives made by our blacksmiths out of old files. Some were about twelve inches long, one and one-half inches wide. Others were 16 or 18 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Every fellow ground and polished his own knife; some nice jobs, others not; all owing to the tate of the person. Nevertheless they answered the purpose.
The scabbards were made of good leather, were sewed and riveted with lead rivets. They were arranged to carry them on the cartridge belt. Our bayonets were fitted to the muzzles of the guns by Uncle Ranse Horn, who was an ingenious workman. He fitted a piece of sheet iron on the muzzle of every gun, leaving a square spring suitable to the size of the knife handle, which he put on the knife blade also. The handle had a spring on it with a notch on it. The handle of the knife was inserted in the opening on the muzzle and pushed in place; the spring would hop up and hold it in place.
Our cartridge boxes were made of leather by our home saddlers and harness workmen, Mess. J.C. Childers and C.C Johnson. Our uniforms were made of good gray woolen goods cut and fitted by Mr. W.A. McClenahan and his helpers. They were trimmed with blue collars and cuffs."